The Secrets Left Unknown
by Neverland8
Summary: A collection of stories featuring character backstories. Rated T for violence. I do not own Wings of Fire.
1. Asha

She was the last hatched.

She was, unlike most dragons, _not_ perfectly content to be in her egg, resting. She remembered hearing her mother, Stork, talking with her troop about the world, and it fascinated her. She wondered how the world worked, and what was in it. So when she felt a MudWing tail pounding on her shell, she squeaked in excitement. However, she could do nothing to stop her bigwings cracking open the egg.

She fell out, soaked to the skin, right into the warm mud that lined the Mud Nest. She immediatally realized that the world _was _just as exciting as she thought. She rolled in the mud for a while, until her gold undersides and brown top-scales were the color of mud. When she finally _did_ open her eyes, she saw seven other baby dragons. The biggest had collapsed on her blood-red eggshell, and the others were lying around the ground.

It took a few days for their mother to arrive. When she did, all the dragonets had their eyes open and were even stumbling around. The bigwings had caught them a few bugs to eat, but the seventh dragonet, the smallest (excluding the last hatched), had been asleep for days, without moving or even breathing. She had no idea why he didn't wake up. When Stork found them, she shook her head- not sadly, but with contempt and with wishes that the troop might have been bigger. She took the sleeping dragonet and threw him into the nearest mud, where he sunk.

She lined up the surviving dragonets, biggest to smallest, and made them stand at attention. "I am your mother, Stork." she said. "This might possibly be the last time we talk, so remember my name." the runt made sure to stick Stork's name into her brain forever. "From this point on, I will find you a camp, and then you shall take care of yourselves, with only help coming from nearby troops, who can teach you to hunt and- more importantly- fight, but you must learn most of this yourself. Now, I will give you names to use for the rest of your lives."

She nodded to the Bigwings, a handsome male with a red underside. "Swamp." He nodded at attention, but giggled.

She looked on to the next one, a fully brown female. "Riverbed."

The next was a brown male with a gold underside. "Clay."

The fourth was a dappled brown female with yellow eyes. "Cattail." Cattail nodded and stood stock-still, without giggling or coughing, or even moving outside of breathing.

"Seaweed." she named the next dragonet, a male who was a dappled brown.

The sixth was a girl with amber eyes and a red underside. "Lily Pad."

"Kelp." was the male with large, swampy-blue eyes. He squeaked with terror as his mother said his name, but Stork ignored him.

Finally, she turned to the runt. The runt felt her heart quicken. What would she say? What?

"Asha."

Asha squealed with delight and flapped open her wings, and flew at least two feet in the air. "Asha! Asha!" It sounded unique and pretty.

Stork stared at her with interest. "What?" Asha asked.

"No dragonet has ever flown this early before." Stork told her. "Usually it's around two years, at least. You are a very special dragonet, Asha." She looked around to the rest of the litter. "Follow me."

The troop followed her to the "dragonet site", and Stork left them there. The other troops greeted them, and over the next few years taught them everything. The rest of Asha's troop learned to fly two years later, and they also learned to fight and hunt. When Asha was six, she even caught a few scavengers.

Finally, when they were eight, they were sent off to the war. Asha was hit with the harsh realities of war, but still regained her spirit. Cattail always made fun of her for being kind and nice and even _loving_ to the other troops that weren't her sibs.

But then, a NightWing came. Asha was in the front with the dragonet troops. They let her squeeze by, because they loved her for caring so much and telling them stories.

"The great Morrowseer has forseen a prophecy." he said. "It is meant to end this great war. It says:

_When the war has lasted twenty years,_

_The dragonets will come_

_When the land is soaked in Blood and tears,_

_The dragonets will come..._"

He continued like that for three more verses, and most of the MudWings left in boredom. But Asha didn't. She was fascinated. She especially liked the line, "_For Wings of Earth, search through the mud for an egg the color of Dragon Blood._"

That _must_ have meant MudWings, and that meant that a MudWing would end the war! Also, Asha had a thing for blood-red eggs; she hatched from one herself.

But that night, Blister's SeaWings attacked.

"Clay, come with me!" Asha called.

"Where are we going?" her favorite sib asked.

"We're going to guard the dragonets. That is where the SeaWings are headed!" Asha called. "Come on!"

"The _dragonets_? Really?" Clay rolled his eyes. "We've got to fight with our sibs!"

But Asha ignored him, and ran off. Clay reluctantly followed.

The two fought valiantly, but the SeaWings kept pushing on. A couple of the older dragonets tried to help, but they were quickly killed, and their sibs retreated.

Then, after Asha sent a pea-green SeaWing flying, she turned around and saw Clay hidden under a pile of SeaWings. "NO!" she yelled, and knocked the SeaWings off. She sent them flying, and turned around. "Clay?"

Clay was lying on the ground, bleeding. She laid by him and cradled his head. "No..."

He smiled up at her, and then fell limp.

Asha wailed, and whirled around to see the SeaWings advancing. She couldn't fight them off by herself.

Then a dragon roar erupted. It was a... IceWing? No, that meant Blaze was attacking, too.

But then another MudWing passed her, winking. A SkyWing and IceWing flew side-by-side, knocking off the SeaWings. Asha backed up, but she noticed that the dragons weren't even hurting the SeaWings unless it was necessary, just scaring them away. Finally, the SeaWing Queen, Coral, flew up from over by the other battlefield and called a retreat, signaling for the dragons to fly away.

Asha looked up at the other dragons, still holding onto her brother's lifeless form. "Who are you?"

"The Talons of Peace." said the head, another SeaWing.

Asha snorted. "And you're fighting?"

"We don't like to, and we don't kill." he said. "Name's Nautilus, by the way."

"Asha." she responded.

So Nautilus, the leader, explained to her that the Talons were working for world peace, and that their hope was the Dragonet Prophecy.

Immediatally, Asha jumped up. "I'll help." she said. "My brother is dead because of this war. I'll... I'll be a spy here, looking for a blood-red egg that will hatch on the brightest night."

A SkyWing stepped up. "Are we seriously going to consider this?" she asked, her tail thrashing.

"Shut up, Kestrel." Nautilus growled. "We accept you, Asha."

So Asha spied for the Talons of Peace for the next few years. So she was completely surprised, a couple years later, in the year of the Brightest Night, when her sister Cattail laid a blood-red egg. She immediatally reported this to the Talons at the next meeting, and they gave her two cows to give to Cattail in exchange for the egg, that was due to hatch at the brightest night. Cattail accepted quickly.

Asha nodded to all of the dragons. "I guess that this is good-bye."

"Where are you going?" Lily Pad asked, her eyes wide.

"I'm going to ask the Talons if I can stay with them for good." she said.

"Why?" Cattail asked, furious.

Swamp hissed. "You can't just leave us! Why would you?"

Asha sighed, remembering Clay. It was _her_ fault he died. "So I can't hurt any more of you."

And she took off.

She stopped once she was at Cattail's nest, and grabbed the blood-red egg, and flew off with it. But on the way to the Talons, she got caught in a battle between Blister and Blaze's forces. A silver IceWing attacked her, and Asha only managed to keep the egg from hatching. She dragged herself over to the Hide-out, where the eggs were to be raised. "I stand with the Talons of Peace." came Webs the SeaWings' voice.

"We... await... the Wings of Fire." Asha croaked.

Webs appeared before her. "Asha? What happened?"

"Battle... Blister and Blaze... the egg..." Asha pushed the egg forward, blood pouring out of her like a river.

"Asha, hold on!" Webs clutched her talons, checking over her wounds. "Wait until you see the SandWing egg! It's so tiny! And the SeaWing egg is so blue, and the NightWing egg..."

Asha looked at the egg, and Webs walked up closer. "Asha... you're bleeding badly. Just hold on, and Kestrel can come help you."

Asha sighed. She wished she'd seen Kestrel again, for they had become great friends. She looked at him. "I'm... not going to make it. The egg..."

Webs looked at her, terrified. "What about it?"

She sighed as breath left her body, and her last words were, "Name him Clay..."


	2. Burn (Part 1 of the SandWing Sisters)

Burn hatched first.

She fell out, claws extended, into soft straw. She heard an adoring coo. "Aww!" said the SandWing queen. "My eldest daughter! I shall name her Burn!"

The dragonet growled and shredded the straw.

A second later she heard another crack, and something land beside her in the straw.

"And you shall be Blister!" the queen said. "I'm Oasis, my little princesses! Your mother!"

Burn soon warmed up to her sister and mother, but she hated her life as a Princess. Her mother gave her so much stuff to do, it was all Burn could do to squeeze in a break to spend with her sister. So she was excited when Oasis announced that she was having another clutch of eggs. That meant that Burn could get a break, and a new sister! So when Oasis' newest daughters hatched, she was there to greet them.

"Blaze!" the queen cried as the first egg hatched. "And... Bonfire!"

"Welcome to the world, little sisters!" Blister nudged Blaze, and Burn walked over to Bonfire and began licking her small form.

"I'm going to be your best big sister ever!" Burn told her. "So long as you can survive Mom's lessons."

Oasis glared at Burn, but Blister laughed. "You're _already_ the best big sister ever!"

Burn smiled.

The next few years were ones of joy. When Burn turned seven, Bonfire and Blaze turned five- they were hatched on the same day, in separate years, which Burn loved. On their fifth birthday, Bonfire and Blaze tackle-hugged Burn. "It's our birthday!" they called. "What'd you get us? What'd you get us?"

"Slow down!" Burn laughed, shaking Blaze off and flicking Bonfire off her tail. "Look!"

She pulled out two necklaces of shells. "Like it?"

"Love it!" the sisters squealed, each taking a necklace and putting it on.

"It's amazing!" Blaze said. She was the most princess-y of the four, and very concerned about her appearance. Bonfire took after Burn in hating the lessons.

"We made something for you, too!" Bonfire grinned, and gave Burn a helmet.

It was made out of thin leaves, and held together with a spare peace of thread from the tapestry Blaze made, but Burn put it on anyway. "It's wonderful!" she smiled. "Thank you!"

Blister climbed out of bed, and Blaze immediatally ran up and dumped one on Blister's head. Blister rolled her eyes and giggled.

The four of the princesses went to the dining hall, where Oasis was waiting. "Happy birthday, my beautiful young princesses!" Oasis called.

"Good morning!" They called.

The whole day was full of celebrations of the Princess' hatching day. At the end, Oasis instructed her daughters on what to do. They were to fly over the kingdom, over their subjects.

That was when it all started.

The four princesses were flying overhead, when Blister spotted something. "That doesn't look like a SandWing." she said, pointing. "It looks like..."

Before she could finish her sentence, a white dragon shot into the air. It was an IceWing.

It all happened so fast, Burn had no clue what happened until after it did.

It yowled a battle cry, and sprayed its freezing-breath, aimed straight for Burn. "No!" shouted Bonfire, and leaped up to protect her favorite sister.

And the breath hit her full blast.

"No!" Burn yelled, and Bonfire fell from the sky, instantly dead.

Somehow in the chaos, the IceWing escaped.

Burn watched as the other SandWings ran around in the chaos. She looked below her, and saw Oasis cradling the dead body of Bonfire in her claws. Blister and Blaze surrounded her, crying.

Burn narrowed her eyes, and followed the trail of the IceWing.

It didn't take long for her to find him. He left a trail of cold air behind him. That traitor would pay for what he had done to Bonfire!

Then she found him, hidden in a dune in the sand. She crept up to the entrance, keeping to the Shadows.

She heard more than one voice inside. Was that... it was a dragonet! Did he seriously bring his dragonet on an assassination mission?

She leapt inside and slashed at the first IceWing she saw. A feminine voice screamed, and the IceWing crumpled to the floor. Burn stabbed her with her barb, and the IceWing screamed in pain.

"Polar Bear!" the assassin's voice hit her ears. She turned around and jumped at him.

He looked over at the frozen dragonet. "Hvitur, run!"

The dragonet took off flying, barely looking back.

She then saw that the dune was filled with ice, explaining how he was cold enough to freeze Bonfire. Burn growled. "This is for Bonfire!" she yowled, and hit the IceWing full-blast with her barb.

The two IceWings were dead in five minutes.

As Burn crept out of the dune, she realized that she _liked_ killing. She _enjoyed_ it. She looked down at her claws and smiled.

If this was going to continue, she needed some more blood on her claws.

She flew off towards the SeaWing kingdom, flying high up so no one could see her.

She would return with the news later. Right now, she was going to exercise her new skill.

That is how Burn's rage began.


	3. Blister (Part 2 of the SandWing Sisters)

Bonfire's funeral was the saddest day in Blister's life.

The little dragonet was curled up in a basket, so as to look like she was sleeping. Blaze was heartbroken and tried to cradle up next to her multiple times. Burn stood stock-still, trying to look like she didn't care, but Blister knew she was more heartbroken than anyone else. Even Queen Oasis, who couldn't be comforted by anyone. She ran off crying halfway through the funeral, and Blaze went after her shortly later. After a while, Bonfire was buried, and Blister stood by her grave for the rest of the day, still remembering the day Bonfire hatched. She was the smallest and the sweetest, the wildest and the most daring. How could she truly be dead?

A day after Bonfire's death, the body of the IceWing assassin was found near the palace, along with another female SandWing, possibly his accomplice. They had been killed by a poisonous SandWing barb, and they were thrown into the nearest well.

About a week after the funeral, Oasis was talking quietly to a SeaWing messenger. After a while, the messenger took off, and a curious Blister followed him. "Hi!" she called, trying to sound cheerful in spite of herself.

He turned around. He was only a few years younger than Blister, still a dragonet. "Hello."

"How'd you get sent here?" Blister asked. "A dragonet in an enemy tribe's territory?"

"My mom sent me with an important message." he hooked his claws in a threatening way, but Blister could tell he was not threatening her. "No one would hurt me. I'm Shark, by the way."

"Blister. What is your message?"

He paused. "Ask Oasis." he said, and took off. Blister didn't bother going after him, and she just turned around and headed back to the dining hall, where Oasis was heading when she was stopped.

When she got there, she noticed Burn and Blaze entering, too, Blaze leaning on Burn for support. "What is it?" Blaze asked.

"We have gotten terrible news from the SeaWing kingdom." Oasis announced to her daughters. "Apparently, Princess Starfish was murdered."

Blaze immediatally yelped and started talking, and Blister was also in shock, but she noticed Burn didn't look surprised at all.

_What's been with her recently?_ Blister wondered. _We used to call her our Bigwings, like the MudWings do. She was kind and nice. Now she's rude and mean. I wonder if Bonfire's death had something to do with it. She was missing for two days after Bonfire's death, probably out of grief. I better talk to her about it. _

"Queen Hurricane is paranoid, the little messenger said." Oasis told them. "He's her son, I believe. He says that she's been keeping her only other daughter, Coral, on a harness. A harness, I tell you!"

"That's terrible!" Blister blurted. "Do you think that the two princess murders were connected?"

"Could be." Oasis shrugged. "Which is why none of you are leaving the palace unless _I_ say so."

Burn and Blister yelled how unfair this was, but Oasis silenced them. "It's for your own safety, girls. I... I can't lose another one of you."

Later that day, Blister ran into Burn in the hallway. "Wait!" Blister called.

Burn turned around sharply. "What?" she asked, hissing.

Blister marched up to her, determination on her face. "What's been with you, recently?" she asked. "You've been snapping and snarling- you never do that! You complain, yes, but you made Blaze cry the other day!"

"It's not my fault." Burn flexed her talons. "It's the assassin's."

"Is this about Bonfire?" Blister asked. "Look, we'll all miss her, but she'd want you to move on with your life and be who you used to be!"

"It's not that." Burn said. "I found the assassin the day Bonfire died. I killed him, and his stupid mate."

Blister gasped. Burn? Killing? She wouldn't hurt a fly, and only ate meat when it was already cooked and in front of her and Oasis was watching.

"I realized my power." Burn said, looking down at her claws like they were her pride and joy. Blister noticed that they were sharper than usual. "I _liked _to kill. It was _fun_."

Suddenly everything fell into place. "Moons," whispered Blister. "_You_ killed Starfish."

"The SeaWings are better off without her." Burn shrugged. "She was a weakling _and_ a brat."

"Burn- you can't just..." Blister was in shock. "I'll... I'll..."

"You'll do what?" Burn laughed- a malicious laugh that made Blister leap back. "Tell mother? She won't believe you, and like she said, she can't lose another daughter. And _you_ can't lose another sister."

"Well, I just did!" Blister yelled.

Burn stepped back, her eyes suddenly wide with surprise. "What..."

"You're not the Burn I knew." Blister yelled. "And in the future, keep your _killing_ away from Blaze and I!"

Blister stormed off, leaving behind the best friend she ever had, who had now turned into her worst enemy.

Blister had snuck out of the palace.

She knew that if Mother caught her, she'd be dead, but she didn't care. She needed to think.

So when she bumped into a dragon, she jumped back, terrified it was a guard, but she got an equal surprise.

It was a NightWing.

"I'm sorry!" said the NightWing. Suddenly Blister noticed how thin she was. "I... wasn't... looking where I was going."

"You look sick." Blister said, and the NightWing flinched.

"No, just hungry." the NightWing, who was only a few years older than Blister, gabbed. "I've been eating dead animals and plants, but, you know..."

"Stay here." Blister said, and took off. She stole a few pigs from the kitchens and flew back, giving them to the NightWing.

The NightWing ate faster and messier than anyone Blister had seen, and she took a few steps back. The NightWing was finished in seconds, and sat up. "Thank you!" she said. "I haven't eaten like that in _ages_."

"Don't... don't you NightWings have super-powers or something? So you can find food super-easily?" Blister asked.

The NightWing drooped. "Well... not really. We're dying out and starving and..." she looked up suddenly, shocked. "Oh! I wasn't supposed to tell you that!"

"It's fine." Blister said. "I won't tell. I'm Blister, by the way. What's your name?"

"Battlewinner." the NightWing said. "You swear you won't tell anyone?"

"Sure." Blister said. "What're you doing here?"

"Looking for food, mostly." Battlewinner said. "Can you bring a few more pigs? I can give them to the other dragonets. This cute one, Morrowseer, is really sickly and stuff, and food might just help."

"Sure." Blister shrugged. She was about to take off, and then turned around. "You're not like a normal NightWing, are you?"

Battlewinner pauses. "Not really. Come back soon!"

And Blister took off.


	4. Blaze (Part 3 of the SandWing Sisters)

Blaze was forced to watch her sister die.

Then she was forced to watch her other two sisters fall apart.

She was still her mother's favorite- the only one who could put up with her lessons and parties- but she still wished things had been like it was before. Burn was the Bigwings, Blister was the affectionate one, Bonfire was Burn's little fangirl, and Blaze was the model princess. But now Burn disappeared for days on end, and Blister was always talking about alliances with different tribes. She even brought up an alliance with the NightWings once, but Blaze had no idea where she got that idea. Blaze's only comfort was the weekly visits from other Princesses and Queens. She was very good friends with Queen Glacier, who understood her pain, as all of her sisters were mysteriously murdered. Also, Blaze was the most popular of the princesses, as she was the only one who wasn't described as "psycho."

And then Oasis died.

She never really recovered from Bonfire's death. So when a Scavenger challenged her, she wasn't up to the challenge. She didn't even use her barb, and was killed soon after. The Scavenger took most of her treasure, and ran away before the three sisters made it to the room.

"No!" Blaze yowled, running over to her mother's body. She buried her muzzle in her lifeless scales, and wailed.

The other two paid their respects as well. After a while, Blaze looked up. "But... none of us killed Mother. So who should be Queen now?"

Burn stood up straight and tall. "_I _am the oldest. _I_ should be Queen."

"No!" Blister jumped up, hissing. "_You_ can't be Queen! We'd all be dead in ten days! I will be queen!"

"Let's not fight!" Blaze yelped.

"And I suppose _you_ would like to be Queen?" Burn hissed.

Blaze thought for a second. It _would_ be nice, and Mother always said she would be the best. "I'm the only one who paid attention to mother's lessons. Also, I am by far the prettiest."

"We can't _all_ be Queen!" Burn hissed.

"So that is why _I_ will be Queen!" Blister announced.

"You and what army?" Burn asked.

Blister thought for a second, and smiled. "Easy. An army of SeaWings. You remember the SeaWings? They'd _love_ to get back at you."

"For what?" Blaze shrieked, horribly confused and worried.

The other two sisters ignored her.

"I will get an army of MudWings!" Burn said. "AND SkyWings! Ha!"

They turned to Blaze.

"_I_ have the support of most of the SandWings." Blaze argued. "_And_ I'm Queen Glacier's friend. I will form an alliance with the IceWings."

The other two sisters shrieked. "Do you have no honor for Bonfire's memory?" Burn asked. "Have you no shame?"

Blaze growled. "Glacier is my friend. Not all IceWings are like the one who killed Bonfire."

Burn growled. "I am off to see Queen Scarlet, and then Moorhen."

Blister glared at her. "And I am off to see Queen Coral."

Blaze sighed. "I will visit Glacier."

Burn and Blister turned their backs on each other and flew away, as Blaze was forced to watch.

Their relationship would never be the same.

And every single one of them wished it wasn't so.


	5. Coral

Coral adored her older sister.

She hatched in a clutch of two, the other dragonet being a male. When Coral hatched, the first thing she saw was not her mother, Queen Hurricane, but her sister, Starfish. Starfish was everything a Princess should be-dark blue with sparkling green eyes and perfect posture. Her scales lit up happily upon seeing her sister, and she giggled. "Hello, Coral." she said. "I'm Starfish, your sissy."

Starfish, it turned out, was not only beautiful, but smart, too. She was always teaching Coral things, and the perfect future Queen. In fact, if Hurricane had died and neither of them had challenged her, Coral would have immediatally let Starfish be Queen. Shark, Coral's brother, was also happy with Starfish, and the three of them would spend hours playing and spending time together. Starfish's best friend was only a little younger than Coral. He was a pea-green SeaWing named Whirlpool, and he adored Starfish. It was obvious he had a crush on her, and Coral could see that Starfish was thinking of returning the favor.

So when Starfish died, the whole kingdom was devastated.

It started around the time Starfish was ten, and Coral was eight. Coral and Starfish had finally "ditched" Shark and Whirlpool (leaving them to discuss "politics") and swam up to the beach on the shore. Starfish and Coral were happily playing until the sun set. They two curled up on the beach. "You're the best sister ever!" Coral whispered.

Starfish giggled. "I thought _you_ were!"

The two laughed until a dark shadow covered the moon. Starfish sat straight up, fear bulging in her eyes.

"St-Starfish?" Coral asked, worried.

Starfish flashed something in aquatic that Coral didn't catch. Then she flashed it again. _Danger. Run._

"I- I don't..." Coral began.

_Danger. RUN!_

Coral leapt into the water, sending drops splashing into the air like rain. Coral swam under the water, so deep that the stars couldn't be seen. _We lost them, Starfish!_ Coral flashed in aquatic. _...Starfish?_

As soon as she realized Starfish wasn't there, Coral shot up towards the surface. She jumped out of the water and stared in horror as she saw Starfish hissing, battling a dark object. A dark dragon-shaped object.

Coral dive-bombed over to help her sister, but she was too late. Starfish tripped over a root, and the dragon clawed her mercilessly. Then s/he stabbed her with their tail- s/he was probably a SandWing- and flew away. "Starfish!" Coral yowled, and jumped down to her sister. Horrified, Coral grabbed her sister's body and dove under the water. There, she swam to the summer palace, and eventually landed there. "Mother! Mother!" Coral yelped, dragging Starfish behind her.

Hurricane came tearing down the halls at the fear in her daughter's voice. Upon seeing Starfish's body, Hurricane stopped dead in her tracks. She let out a wail and brought her daughter's body closer. Almost immediatally later Shark and Whirlpool ran up. Shark stopped short as soon as he saw Starfish, but Whirlpool screamed. He crept closer to the dead princess's body and stared at it in horror. Hurricane saw the emotion in his eyes and placed the body down slowly. Whirlpool slowly curled up against it, as if trying to keep Starfish warm.

"Who... who _did_ this?" Shark asked.

"I don't know." Coral sobbed. "We were on the beach... she told me to run... then it attacked her..."

Hurricane turned to Shark. "Get the other messengers together, one for each of the other kingdoms we can reach. Tell them to beware. And Shark, you go to the SandWing kingdom. She looks as if she's been poisoned."

Shark started, "But..." but upon seeing his mother's face swam away. "We'll leave tomorrow."

Hurricane had a harness fitted for Coral that night, and kept her on it for the rest of the day. She wasn't allowed near any boys but Whirlpool and Shark. In fact, she wasn't around anyone but those two and her mother. However, a week after Starfish's funeral, Coral escaped from the harness and swam off in the middle of the night. She didn't know where she was heading until she saw where she was.

It was the place Starfish was buried.

Coral found herself weeping. Suddenly, she felt a tail on her shoulder. She yelped. "_Who-_" in aquatic.

The other SeaWing paused, and he answered back, _Sorry. I'm Gill, one of the sons of the council. Who are you?_

_Coral._ she answered.

_Oh. I thought it was you, but you're off your harness._

_I escaped._ Coral flickered with pride.

_I see. What're you doing here?_

_I don't know. What're you doing here?_

_She was the only one who was nice to me. _Gill paused. _She __never took you to our section of the palace, did she? The other dragonets just make fun of me for being small. _

Coral sighed._ Starfish was nice to everyone. She would have made a good queen._

Gill nodded. The two dragonets sat in silence for a long while, possibly hours. Finally, Coral flashed, _I should get home before Mom realizes I'm gone._

_When can I see you again?_ Gill asked.

Coral thought for a moment. _Tomorrow night. We can meet here every night to talk. Is that okay?_

_It's fine._ Gill said. He did an underwater-giggle. _My sister, Rapid, has a crush on Shark. Can he come, too?_

Coral did an underwater-gut-laugh. _If you insist! See you then?_

Gill paused. _I'll be seeing you._

And Coral swam away.


End file.
